Ending the nine-day-long suspense, BJP on Sunday named N. Biren Singh as leader of the legislature party in Manipur setting the stage for the latter about becoming the Chief Minister for the second consecutive term.
Singh, 61, was unanimously elected as leader of the legislature party at Imphal in the presence of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, who were appointed as BJP's central observers for the election of the legislature party leader.
In a statement issued by Raj Bhawan, Manipur said Sitharaman and Rijiju met Governor La Ganeshan on Sunday evening and handed over a letter about Singh's election. The letter also said although BJP has the majority to form the government, Janata Dal (United) with six MLAs, Kuki People's Alliance, which won two seats and Independent MLA, Nishikant Sapam Singh also extended their support to the government. BJP alone won 32 out of 60 Assembly seats.
The results of the Manipur Assembly elections were declared on March 11.
The decision ends the suspense over who would become Manipur's next Chief Minister. Although, Biren Singh was the frontrunner, another senior party leader, Th. Biswajit Singh was a strong contender. Both Biren and Biswajit were called to New Delhi twice for meeting with senior BJP leaders before Sitharaman and Rijiju came to Manipur on Sunday morning. Former Speaker and another senior BJP leader, Y. Khemchand was also called to New Delhi by the party high command.
Biren, a footballer and a former journalist joined politics in 2002 and has won all elections he contested since then. He established himself as a strong leader in Congress but switched over to BJP in 2016 and became the CM in 2017. Biren formed the BJP-led government with the help of the National People's Party and NPF and gave BJP its first government in Manipur.
Before this election, Biren had claimed that BJP would get the absolute majority and decided to contest elections alone. The results, according to party sources, consolidated Biren's position in the party. After the meeting, Biren was seen exchanging sweets with Biswajit.
The Raj Bhawan statement said that the Governor asked the BJP leaders to suggest a convenient date for oath-taking.
"This was a unanimous decision and this will give Manipur a strong, stable government to fulfil the hopes and aspiration of all sections in the state," Sitharaman told reporters in Imphal after the legislature party meeting.
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